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Orca Action Month: Why the Future of Killer Whales Needs You 

There’s a story unfolding just off our coast – one of resilience and urgency. Imagine this: A young killer whale swims beside her grandmother, learning ancient migration routes and how to find the tastiest Chinook salmon. Her family sings through the waves in a language all their own. These moments – rich in culture, connection, … Continued

Winter Field Work – Take Three

Dispatch from the Field: by Gary Sutton, Ocean Wise Research Technician Well, that’s a wrap on Ocean Wise ’s third season of winter work, as part of the Whales Initiative’s annual whale health monitoring project in the Salish Sea, BC. It’s cold, unpredictable, and often exhausting—but also deeply rewarding (read about last year’s winter work … Continued

Baby ‘bumps’ from above: Researchers have found a non-invasive way to detect early pregnancy in killer whales

A new drone-based method from Ocean Wise identifies newly pregnant whales to help protection efforts *header image: Drone-collected image of mother and calf from the Northern Resident population. Image collected under Canadian research permit MML-18. Credit: Ocean Wise. (Feb 4, Vancouver, BC) New research from Ocean Wise, published in Scientific Reports, describes a first-of-its-kind method … Continued

Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place

Ocean Wise data contributes to new paper, published in Science, on global whale-ship collisions According to the fossil record, cetaceans — whales, dolphins and their relatives — evolved from four-legged land mammals that returned to the oceans beginning some 50 million years ago. Today, their descendants are threatened by a different land-based mammal that has … Continued

Looking back at the 2024 Whale Blitz

In 2022, the Ocean Wise Sightings Network launched the Whale Blitz, an annual series of land based whale watching events located along the southern coast of British Columbia. Whale Blitz watches are held in mid-July in celebration of World Orca Day and the anniversary of northern resident killer whale A73 ‘Springer’ being returned to her … Continued

My Whale Report News – July/August 2024

Welcome to My Whale Report News, summing up sightings to the WhaleReport App for July and August of 2024. Here, you’ll find top photos, top reported species, and the impact of your whale and sea turtle sightings. A HUMPBACK BOOM – SIGHTINGS ROUNDUP Below, find some of our favourite submitted photos from Summer 2024. Credit … Continued

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!

Earlier this month our North Coast and South Coast field teams met up to collaborate on some fieldwork for the first time! Our Southern field team braved fog, rain, and the notorious Cape Caution to bring the faithful research vessel Skana all the way up the coast of British Columbia, from Victoria to Prince Rupert. … Continued

Ocean Wise Expands Underwater Microphone Whale Detection Initiative to Endangered Killer Whale Critical Habitat

[August 26, 2024] – Ocean Wise is pleased to announce the expansion of whale presence alerts to commercial mariners in southern resident killer whale critical habitat. This expansion is thanks to SMRU Consulting in collaboration with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, as they integrate underwater microphones, or hydrophones, off the coast of Lime Kiln Point … Continued

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Ocean Wise is based in the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We work across Turtle Island and beyond, supporting Indigenous peoples in their vital work on ocean conservation and biodiversity whenever possible or as we are invited to.